Shin SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari (新SDガンダム外伝 ナイトガンダム物語) is a Cardass series in the Knight Gundam series released in 1994, as well as the first entry in a new story after the original SD Gundam Gaiden saga called the Shin trilogy.
Ten years after the events of Kikoushin Densetsu, Zero Gundam goes on a journey to recover the Thunder Clan's Holy Skills and defeat Vice Gundam after the death of his father, Dragon Knight Falco Gundam.
While Knight Gundam Monogatari borrows elements from Star Wars and Fist of the North Star, its characters are based off of Mobile Suit Victory Gundam.
Tropes associated with Shin SD Gundam Gaiden: Knight Gundam Monogatari are:
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Vice Gundam is Falco Gundam mutated and mind controlled by a Vice Tarantula.
- Catchphrase: Zero Gundam's is "Return to zero!!".
- Epiphanic Prison: Zero is thrown into one in the form of a magic barrier at League Mountain upon arriving there. While in this barrier, he is forced to fight an evil version of himself until he realizes that he has to look beyond his hate.
- Extra Eyes: Vice Tarantulas have quite a few eyes no matter what shape they come in. Their hosts gain the supernumerary eyes upon infection.
- Assault Buster has a lot of them. Everywhere. Even on his foot tentacles.
- Heroic BSoD: Zero has one after Vice Gundam reveals that he is actually his father. This causes Zero to attack Vice in a fit of rage.
- I'm Dying, Please Take My MacGuffin: At the end of the third arc, the weakened Falco Gundam gives Zero the Saint Mail and his heirloom key for the Thunder System before dying.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: The second arc had the revelation that Vice Gundam is actually Zero's father, Falco.
- The carddas series additionally reveals that Illusion Emperor Assault Buster is actually Knight Victory's older brother, Knight V2.
- Mind Rape: This is how the Vice Tarantulas brainwashes its victims, including Falco Gundam and (almost) Zero Gundam.
- Assault Buster tries to do this to Zero during the final battle in an attempt to get him to surrender.
- My Hero, Zero: The main protagonist of the work is named Zero Gundam.
- Puppeteer Parasite: The Vice Tarantulas. They imbed themselves into a victim and transmit a brainwashing message from Illusion Emperor Assault Buster. Luckily, they are weak to lightning.
- Take Up My Sword: Before a strange storm swallowed up Falco Gundam, he gave his son Zero the Thunder Sword, telling him that it will guide him.
- Tentacled Terror: Illusion Emperor Assault Buster walks around on squid-like tentacles instead of legs.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Zero's response after being freed from Vice's illusion to steer him towards Zanscare's side by taking the silhouetted form of his father, Falco Gundam.Zero: You...bastard...! If my father's name wasn't enough...you even disgrace his shadow...I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, VICE!!
- Walking the Earth: Zero starts the series doing this and he ends the series doing this. His reasons for doing so vary. While his reason at the end is ambiguous, his reason at the beginning is to recover the Holy Skills of the Thunder Clan and defeat his father's killer, Vice Gundam.
- You Could Have Used Your Powers for Good!: Zero questioned Illusion Emperor Assault Buster about this during the final battle.Zero: Surely, you must have once been pure enough to have mastered the Storm Sword. Why did you let yourself become so corrupted by evil?Illusion Emperor Assault Buster: Because evil has given me the greatest power!!
